Wedding ideas

Having only certain colours at your wedding is more than just a trend. It pulls the look and feel of the day together and gives it a unified, elegant feel. Deciding what colours to go for on such an important event can be daunting, so we have put together a guide to help you to decide.There are a few questions you need to ask yourself when looking at setting up a colour scheme.

Does your chosen venue have strong colours?

If so, then you will need to incorporate them somehow into your theme. Trying to work against your surroundings will produce a clashing effect, and all of your efforts will be wasted.

Have you a favourite colour that you absolutely must use?

If you have always imagined your wedding as being in a certain colour, or there is a colour that you are always drawn to because it makes you feel good, then you should definitely use it. If you feel it is too strong or dark to use as a main colour, you can still use it in your theme as an accent colour.

What style is your wedding?

Some colours, like muted neutrals, black, gold, silver and darker accent colours lend themselves to elegant, traditional surroundings. Other colours, such as sunshine yellow and magenta are brilliant for more informal parties in unconventional wedding locations. This does not mean that you cannot use fire engine red in your elegant wedding, or chocolate brown for your informal party – it just means you need to think about the style of your party and wedding venue.

What time of year are you getting married?

The seasons often affect the colour scheme you use, as they can dramatically change the colours around you - especially if you choose an outdoor wedding, or a venue surrounded by gardens. Don’t feel you have to stick to this however, as these are just guidelines! Spring colours tend to be delicate pastels, such as pale lemon, egg shell blue and mint green. Summer tends to give way to brighter colours such as yellow, hot pink and turquoise. Autumn/Fall means warm colours like gold, burnt orange and chocolate brown. Winter calls for darker shades such as burgundy, deep plum and forest green, or alternatively, black, white and silver.

Have you chosen your bridesmaids dresses?

If so, you have already picked one of your colours! If not, remember when choosing the scheme that the dresses will have to match it.

Once you have answered these questions, you may have been able to narrow your choice down a little. If not, or if you are not sure then a good idea is to use a colour wheel. A colour wheel works by showing you harmonising and contrasting colours that work well together. Harmonising colours are next to each other, and will give your wedding subtle elegance, although you have to be careful that the colours are not so similar that it looks washed out. Contrasting colours are opposite each other and make a beautiful, bold statement , although they have to be carefully used to prevent clashing. Complementary colours are separated from each other on the wheel by other shades, and can look great when used carefully with another colour, but otherwise can look odd. So what are your options? Assuming white is usually going to be part of the occasion...

White plus one other colour.

This looks classy and elegant, and the choice of single colours to go with the white is endless. An accent of fuchsia pink, of navy blue or of black would work equally well on a bright, crisp white background, and pastel colours can either be used as an accent on white, or as a main colour with white as an accent for a sophisticated, feminine feel.

Monochrome.

The use of just one colour in different shades brings visual unity to the wedding without the stress of making sure all that the napkins, flowers, ribbons and everything else are all the exact same shade of blue... or pink, or green, or purple.

Two or three harmonising colours.

These colours create harmony (of course!) and work together to inspire a mood or theme. For example, teal, aqua and royal blue create a cool atmosphere for a summer wedding. Red, orange and burnt orange create warmth and depth. Hot pink and purple are feminine and daring.

Two contrasting hues.

These colours create a real impact and a bold statement, and weddings using contrasting colour schemes often have real personality. The schemes can range from lemon and pale lilac to bright orange and vivid blue.

Two contrasting colours and one complimentary.

This uses the recommended maximum of three colours in your wedding scheme - any more than this and it will look too busy. These kinds of schemes are, like contrasting schemes, very bold, and include: citrus yellow, bright blue and forest green for a Mediterranean feel; burgundy, deep green and burnt orange for an Autumn/Fall theme and lime green with hot pink and a touch of turquoise for a mouth-watering, trendy look.

There are plenty of colours to choose from and the choice is entirely yours. Don’t forget that you can also use colours not present in the average colour-wheel, so all shades of grey and brown, black and even metallics such as gold, silver and copper. If you are looking for inspiration, you our wedding themes might help. The most important thing of all is to consider your personality and preferences - don’t choose a colour combination just because we recommend it, it is fashionable or it is “that time of year”... this is your wedding, let it reflect you!